Word Study for H3544 (כֵּהֶה)

kêheh /kay-heh'/ Ask about this word

Meaningfeeble, obscure

KJV usagesomewhat dark, darkish, wax dim, heaviness, smoking.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of kêheh — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word kêheh, represented by H3544, is a term for things that are feeble, obscure, or diminished. It appears 9 times across 9 unique verses in the Bible. Its specific applications range from describing physical sight that has faded to a smoldering wick, from a discolored blemish on the skin to the emotional weight of a heavy spirit.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H3544 carries both a literal and a figurative meaning. In Leviticus, it is used repeatedly in a clinical sense to describe a skin infection or blemish that is somewhat dark or darkish in color, a key factor in a priest's diagnosis (Leviticus 13:6, Leviticus 13:39). It also describes physical decline, as when Eli's eyes began to wax dim with age 1 Samuel 3:2. Prophetically, it illustrates the gentleness of the Messiah, who will not quench a smoking flax, representing something weak and nearly extinguished Isaiah 42:3. Figuratively, it conveys deep emotional despair as the "spirit of heaviness," which God promises to replace with praise Isaiah 61:3.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the contexts in which H3544 is found:

H7533 râtsats (to crack in pieces, literally or figuratively; break, bruise, crush): This word appears alongside H3544 in Isaiah 42:3, where a "bruised" reed and "smoking" flax depict a state of extreme fragility and weakness.
H3518 kâbâh (to expire or (causatively) to extinguish (fire, light, anger); go (put) out, quench): This term is paired directly with H3544 in the promise that the Messiah will not quench the "smoking" flax, highlighting a deliberate act of preservation toward the feeble Isaiah 42:3.
H7307 rûwach (wind; by resemblance breath... spirit): This word is used to form the concept of a person's inner state. In Isaiah 61:3, it is combined with H3544 to describe the "spirit of heaviness," a condition of profound sorrow that God can transform.
H3836 lâbân (white): This word for "white" is used with H3544 in Leviticus 13:39 to create the specific description "darkish white," demonstrating its function as a precise color modifier in the context of priestly examinations.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H3544 is most evident in its prophetic applications. It consistently represents a state of weakness or decline that becomes the object of God's gentle and restorative power.

Messianic Gentleness: The imagery of the "smoking" flax that will not be quenched paints a picture of a Savior who does not discard or destroy the weak, but tenderly preserves them Isaiah 42:3.
Divine Transformation: The Lord promises to give a "garment of praise" in exchange for the "spirit of heaviness" Isaiah 61:3. This shows that human despair and spiritual feebleness are not final states, but conditions that God actively redeems and transforms into joy and righteousness.
Spiritual Discernment: In the Levitical laws, the "somewhat dark" appearance of a plague was a sign requiring priestly attention and discernment Leviticus 13:6. This underscores a broader principle of carefully examining and addressing matters of spiritual health and purity.

Summary

In summary, H3544 moves from a literal descriptor of dimness and discoloration to a powerful metaphor for human frailty. Whether describing failing eyesight, a nearly extinguished flame, or a spirit weighed down by sorrow, the word consistently points to a state of being diminished. Ultimately, its use in scripture highlights a core theological truth: it is precisely in these moments of weakness that God's gentle, preserving, and transformative character is most clearly revealed.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as an adjective and a verb across 9 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

כֵהָה
כֵּהָה
כֵּהוֹת

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 9 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Leviticus (6 verses); never once in the other 36.

Leviticus

1 Samuel

Isaiah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.